A NEW ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS METHOD BASED ON THERMOGRAVIMETRIC DATA AND APPLIED TO ALKOXYSILANE IMMOBILIZED ON SILICAS

A new analytical method based on thermogravimetry and applied to chemi cally functionalized surfaces is proposed. The mass losses of surfaces modified with alkoxysilane reagents, Sup-CH2CH2CH2-R (Sup = support a nd R = Cl, SH, NH2, NHCONH2, NHNHCOCH3 or (CH2)4NH), are interpreted b y considering the physically adsorbed water, the silanol groups and th e organic moiety. The elemental analyses calculated from these data ar e in agreement with those obtained by classical elemental analysis. Th e method is quick and reproducible, and requires the use of only a few milligrams of material.